Michigan 1Ls/2Ls/3Ls taking questions Forum

[shakespeareinlove]

Thanks Bronte.

So I am down to Michigan and Duke. I am having a hard time coming to a decision. Any thoughts?

Have you visited both schools? Do you have scholarships at either? Where are you from/where do you want to work?

I visited both. I really liked Duke. The professors seemed genuinely interested in the careers of the students.. They were very warm and approachable. I liked the first year housing options much better at Duke. There were programs I was very interested in and there seemed to be a close sense of community from the students.
I liked the area around Michigan better. The campus was beautiful. I felt the professors were not as warm to the prospective student. The academics seem very similar. LRAP is better at Michigan but who knows what 3 years will bring. A new dean can change alot of things.

I received scholarships at both. Slightly more at Duke but not enough to sway my decision. I definitely want to stay on the east coast. Interested in NY, DC., public service/government and clerkships.

[keg411]

To the poster above: sounds like you prefer Duke, so go there. When its close you should just pick the school you like more.

[NextStopRuggles]

I'm a native Rhode Islander and I got my BA from a school in Boston. How well do you think I'd need to do at Michigan to get a job in New England after graduation?

(If this has been discussed elsewhere, either in this thread or another one, feel free to redirect me.)

[JoeMo]

I'm a native Rhode Islander and I got my BA from a school in Boston. How well do you think I'd need to do at Michigan to get a job in New England after graduation?

(If this has been discussed elsewhere, either in this thread or another one, feel free to redirect me.)

Very difficult without the context of what other schools you're looking at. If you're talking between Michigan and Berkeley, Michigan. If MIchigan vs. NYU, then probably NYU. I'm also a native Rhode Islander but I'm not necessarily set on coming back to NE. Although conventional wisdom will tell you that you already have ties to NE so it should be fairly easy.

EDIT, just saw your profile. Don't know how detailed Cornell and Georgetown are in their employment statistics and whether they break out by region but I suggest you start by comparing the three. I do know that Cornell and Georgetown both have more lay prestige in this area than Michigan does but that doesn't necessarily indicate how well you'd do to place back in this market.

[commerceclause]

Just a few questions:

I live in NYC, but hate when it's cold. Cold weather is definitely not a dealbreaker, but how much do Michigan students find to be annoying? I feel like it's a dumb question, but just want to open it up to any comments people have, especially if you were overly worried about it at first and aren't anymore, or vice versa.

Also, how close are you to the professors? Are they generally accessible, warm, and helpful with jobs/mentoring?

Finally, how would you describe the political climate on campus? I don't care so much whether it is very liberal or not, I care more about whether political life is still active, whether there is good debate on campus, and whether students who have the "political bug" will find Michigan interesting. I am considering Georgetown and it seems like GULC is one place where (obviously?) political life is vibrant.

Thanks!

[NextStopRuggles]

Don't know how detailed Cornell and Georgetown are in their employment statistics and whether they break out by region but I suggest you start by comparing the three.

According to the the LST C/O 2009 Spreadsheet, Cornell placed 8.00% of its grads in NE, Georgetown was at 3.30%, and Michigan came in with 2.80%. I've also exchanged emails with a few people working in Boston, and the votes seem to be split pretty evenly so far. One basically said "If you want to work in Boston, go to Cornell, or maybe Georgetown," and another said "Michigan or GULC. I don't know anyone from Cornell working in the city."

[46nyc]

I'm doing a budget for the first year to see how many weeks I have to work this summer and was wondering if any of the 1/2/3Ls can see if I'm missing anything from my list: Rent, utilities, laundry, gas, books, groceries, loan origination fees, furniture in my case, some spending money...

Cell phone and both car and health insurance are covered under my parents. Did any of you take out renters insurance?

It seems like the "personal expenses" category in the student budget is pretty high - it allocates almost $400/month for personal spending money. Do you guys think you spend that much?

Was there anything unexpected you had to spend money on once you got to school?

And the student budget allows $1050 for books and supplies - do you think that's accurate?

Thank you!!

[JoeMo]

Don't know how detailed Cornell and Georgetown are in their employment statistics and whether they break out by region but I suggest you start by comparing the three.

According to the the LST C/O 2009 Spreadsheet, Cornell placed 8.00% of its grads in NE, Georgetown was at 3.30%, and Michigan came in with 2.80%. I've also exchanged emails with a few people working in Boston, and the votes seem to be split pretty evenly so far. One basically said "If you want to work in Boston, go to Cornell, or maybe Georgetown," and another said "Michigan or GULC. I don't know anyone from Cornell working in the city."

Those numbers are pretty dismal but then again you have to think about how many people might prefer to come back to New England versus going to NY/DC from those schools. I'd just go wherever you'd be the happiest as long as you're ok with the possibility of not ending up in New England. If you're dead set on Boston then possibly go to BC since it's a really strong regional school, especially if the money is right.

[NextStopRuggles]

If you're dead set on Boston then possibly go to BC since it's a really strong regional school, especially if the money is right.

The money is good ($66,000), but it's not enough to offset the long-term value of a Michigan degree, IMO

[portaprokoss]

Anybody taken Finance for Lawyers with Rowan Miranda?

[ScrabbleChamp]

For any previous Summer Starts, or anyone unfortunate enough to have this situation... They posted the Summer Start schedule... We have Contracts, 90 minutes a day, every day (M-F). I can't even remember a time in undergrad when I had any class 5 days a week, and surely not a 90 minute class. Any ideas on strategies of how best to handle having the class every day?

[JoeMo]

For any previous Summer Starts, or anyone unfortunate enough to have this situation... They posted the Summer Start schedule... We have Contracts, 90 minutes a day, every day (M-F). I can't even remember a time in undergrad when I had any class 5 days a week, and surely not a 90 minute class. Any ideas on strategies of how best to handle having the class every day?

Yo Scrabble, RC fail mah dude. It only meets on Fridays on Holiday make-up days (i.e. 4th of July) it's just M-Thurs otherwise.

DELETED

[ScrabbleChamp]

For any previous Summer Starts, or anyone unfortunate enough to have this situation... They posted the Summer Start schedule... We have Contracts, 90 minutes a day, every day (M-F). I can't even remember a time in undergrad when I had any class 5 days a week, and surely not a 90 minute class. Any ideas on strategies of how best to handle having the class every day?

Yo Scrabble, RC fail mah dude. It only meets on Fridays on Holiday make-up days (i.e. 4th of July) it's just M-Thurs otherwise.

DELETED

LOL... where'd you dig up my old high school photo?

Where do you see the tid bit about only meeting on Fridays for make ups? I just assumed that since it shows it meeting MTWThF, and Torts only shows MTWTh, it meant that Contracts was every day, and only Torts M-Th.

[JoeMo]

LOL... where'd you dig up my old high school photo?

Where do you see the tid bit about only meeting on Fridays for make ups? I just assumed that since it shows it meeting MTWThF, and Torts only shows MTWTh, it meant that Contracts was every day, and only Torts M-Th.

It's in the footnotes. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... tnotes.htm

At the very bottom is our daily schedule broken out by day.

[Lady in Red]

I took some photos of the law school and the campus in general. (And then I deleted the link. Sorry.)

[UnamSanctam]

I assume you intended to out yourself.

[law2015]

Does anyone know which cell phone provider is good to get?

[Lady in Red]

I assume you intended to out yourself.

Oh -- uh, yeah. lol

I think anyone who wanted to know who I was could probably figure it out anyway.

[me!0712]

I have a question for the law students. Aren't you guys worried about the debt? I would love to go to Mich but would walk out with around 150k in debt. That is the main thing holding me back

[ScrabbleChamp]

I have a question for the law students. Aren't you guys worried about the debt? I would love to go to Mich but would walk out with around 150k in debt. That is the main thing holding me back

Umm...

[me!0712]

I have a question for the law students. Aren't you guys worried about the debt? I would love to go to Mich but would walk out with around 150k in debt. That is the main thing holding me back

Umm...

Not sure what you mean by this or how its helpful...

[UnamSanctam]

I have a question for the law students. Aren't you guys worried about the debt? I would love to go to Mich but would walk out with around 150k in debt. That is the main thing holding me back

Umm...

Not sure what you mean by this or how its helpful...

He's saying we're all worried about the debt.

[ScrabbleChamp]

I have a question for the law students. Aren't you guys worried about the debt? I would love to go to Mich but would walk out with around 150k in debt. That is the main thing holding me back

Umm...

Not sure what you mean by this or how its helpful...

He's saying we're all worried about the debt.

Yeah... It's not exactly a situation that is unique to you. If you are too worried, don't go and find something else to do for three years.

[83947368]

.

[JoeMo]

Umm...

Not sure what you mean by this or how its helpful...

He's saying we're all worried about the debt.

and also that it's not unique to Michigan.